Buddhism

Excerpts from Buddhist text and publications. 

Buddhism teaches us not to judge and believe a thing blindly (even though it was said by the book, by the teacher, by the monk or whoever) but to come, see and prove it yourself that the thing is good for yourself. Then even though it was said by your enemy, if you find it good and useful, you can practise it in your life. 

Faith alone without wisdom is the blind faith of fanatics. Wisdom alone without faith is the cold knowledge of philosophers. Where wisdom points out the way to faith, and Faith proceeds along the way of wisdom, then there is the true practice of Buddhism.

A Buddhist must be a free man with an open mind and must not be subservient to anyone for his spiritual development. He seeks refuge in the Buddha by accepting Him as a source of supreme guidance and inspiration. He seeks refuge in the Buddha, not blindly, but with understanding. To Buddhists, the Buddha is not a saviour nor is He an anthropomorphic being who claims to possess the poser of washing away others' sins. Buddhists regard the Buddha as a Teacher who shows the Path to salvation.

A Buddhist cannot conceive of an unchanging entity, any being in the form of a deva, a man or an animal. This forms are merely temporary manifestations of the karmic force. "Being" is only a term used for conventional purposes. Strictly speaking what we call a "being" is nothing but a mere composition of mind and matter.

Knowledge is like a deep well, fed by perennial springs, and the mind of man is like a bucket that is dropped into it. He will get as much as he can assimilate. Knowledge and mental self-culture will confer incalculable blessings to man. One third of the ills of man are due to human ignorance, delusions, and superstitious beliefs; the rest of the ills, according to the Dharma, are traceable to human selfishness and human malevolence.

It is because both I and you did not understand and comprehend the Four Noble Truths that we have run this long and weary course of round of existences - SAMSARA.

Wide open be the door of immortality to all who have ears to hear. May they receive the Dharma with faith.